By Marline Atieno
Kenyans have the chance, as stipulated in the Constitution, to share their perspectives before the proposals in the bill become law.
The National Assembly of Kenya welcomes public participation regarding the 2024 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and the 2024 Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy. This is in accordance with Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution.
The Budget Policy Statement outlines strategic objectives that inform budget allocations for both national and county governments for the Financial Year 2024/25 and beyond.
The Finance Bill 2024 encompasses a range of proposals related to taxation, public expenditure and fiscal management.
These policies have far reaching implications for individuals, businesses and the economy as a whole.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI-Kenya) organized a morning dialogue session at the Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi, focusing on strategies to enhance discussions surrounding the Budget Policy Statement (BPS).
The event included presentations by NDI-Kenya, representatives from the media and former governor Ndiritu Muriithi.
Addressing the gathering, Dennis Omondi, the NDI-Kenya country director, emphasized the importance of Kenyans actively participating in discussions about the Budget Policy Statement (BPS).
“I am optimistic that today’s discussion will redirect our focus to recognize that if we fail to engage at this juncture, subsequent engagements lose significance,” said Dennis Omondi.
“They become ineffective because once the Budget Policy Statement is sanctioned, it grants the Treasury authority to proceed with fulfilling the approved requirements,” he added.
Stakeholders are urged to submit memoranda regarding these documents to the relevant committees, namely the Budget and Appropriations Committee led by Ndindi Nyoro and the Public Debt and Privatization Committee.
The Finance Bill for the year 2024 was released on May 9 and will subsequently undergo a period of public engagement.